AMERICANOS: Latino Life in the United States
Preface by Edward James Olmos; introduction by Carlos Fuentes
Little, Brown, 176 pages, $25 paper
Actor and activist Edward James Olmos celebrates the diverse, vibrant Latin American community in “Americanos,” a large-format book of photographs. He enlisted dozens of talented photographers, writers and designers in the effort. From tens of thousands of photographs taken all over the country, 200 were selected to represent families and individuals in public and private places: in homes, schools, churches, hospitals, on the streets and onstage. The visual images are complemented by several short bilingual commentaries.
Most of the portraits capture ordinary moments in the lives of people. It is a loving and instructive exhibit, the photographs mostly warmhearted, unsurprising and unprovocative, like a giant family album. Especially intriguing are pictures taken by Antonio Perez in Chicago neighborhoods such as South Chicago and Rogers Park.
